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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rest — a break
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rest — what's left
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a document
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. drill — the tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. file — a line of people
  19. drill — army training
  20. file — a tool
  21. swing — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com